Musical instrument case



April 26, 1932. E. J..GUL|CK MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CASE Filed Feb. 24, 1931 famigm 'fi Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNI-ran stares] smear oFFrcE EDWARD J. GUL-ICK, 0F ELKI-IART, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO U. (Tn-CONN, LTD 01! "-ELKHAR I INDIANA; A CORPORATION OF INDIANA MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CASE .Applicationfiled February 24, 1931. Serial No. 517,901.

Thisinventionrelates to containers and especially to musical instrument cases.

The principal object of my invention is to provide. a fabric container orcase for r.- musicalinstruments, or the'like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument case which is formed of loosely woven fabric, such as burlap, and stiffened with sizing. A. third object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument case the body whereof is made of a plurality of layers, or plies, of loosely woven fabric impregnated with sizing and cemented together under 5 pressure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a multi-ply fabric container or case impregnated with sizing, cemented together under pressure and having notched marginal edges to prevent the formation of ridges or creases in the side walls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multi-ply fabric container impregnated with sizing, cemented together and deformed into box-like formation under pressure, the interior of the container being reenforced by fabric strips secured thereto.

Other objects of the invention are mentioned and described herein.

" The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 illustrates my improved container or case in perspective;

Fig. 2 shows a side View of a cover therefor;

Fig. 3 illustrates a plan view of one of the rudimentary blank layers or plies of fabric for the container body;

Fig. 4. is a similar view of a second layer of fabric for the container body;

Fig. 5 illustrates the united of the two layers of fabric;

ii Fig. 6 shows a sectional view of the container body;

Fig. 7 illustrates a plan view thereof;

Fig. 8 illustrates a plan View, similar to M Fig. 7, showing reenforcing ribs pressed into the container bottom;

Fig. 9 is a cross-section of the container illustrated in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 illustrates the method of shaping the body of the container under pressure in a simple press and mold.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views'on the drawings.

Referring now to the details of the'drawingsthe numeral 1 indicates the finished container or case, in perspective, andi the cover therefor. The case body illustrated in Figure 1 is made and shaped to contain a banjo, or the like, and comprises the bottom 3, the curved, upright side walls t and 5, and'the curved, upright end walls 6 and 7, said casing end 7 being much larger than the opposite end 6 to provide a substantially pear shaped casing in plan view. The body 1 is madeof a plurality of rudimentary layers, or plies, of

loosely woven fabric Sand 9, respectively, such as burlap, or the like, which are similar. in size and contour.

The piecesor plies 8 and9 areimpreg natedwith hot sizing to cement them together and to efie'ct rigidity and desired stiffness thereof when cooled after the formation thereof, under pressure in a suitable press. The ply-8 is provided with a plurality of'V shaped notches 10 which extend from its mar ginal edge inward to the line 11 (dotted) and'similarly the layer 9 is provided with a pluralityof V shaped notches 12 which extend inwardly to the dotted line 13. The blank 8 has its side wall notches 10 formed in-v termediate the terminals of the side marginal edges thereof, and its end notches 10 are formed in the end rounded marginal edges thereof. And blank 9'has its notches 12 preferably formed adjacent the junction of the inwardly curved sides with the'rounded ends thereof. Whenthe two plies8 and 9 are placed together in superimposedrelation the notches 10 and 12 are disaligned, or out of registration with each other 5), and in that position the imaginary lines 11 and 13 are in registration. lVhenthepliesS and 9 arethus placed together they arelaid over a mold 14, which conforms in contour to the shape within the linesll and 13' of said layers, and the descending press 15, of contour similar to the interior of the mold, forms the case or container into the desired shape with upright side walls &c., as illustrated in Fig. 1.

As the press 15 enters the mold and the fabric body composed of plies 8 and 9, is pressed downward into the mold, the notches l0 and 12 are substantially closed, whereby the formation of ridges or creases in the side walls of the container is wholly prevented. When reenforcing of the container ends is desired a sizing impregnated fabric strip, of burlap or other suitable stock, 16 is introduced into the mold to reenforce the larger end of the container, said reenforcing strip covering a portion of the container bottom and also the inside periphery of the end wall 7 at 17. Similarly, a fabric strip 18 may be cemented to the end wall 6 interiorly thereof to reenforce same. When it is desired to further reenforce the bottom wall 3 a plurality of longitudinal ribs 19 are formed therein under pressure in the mold.

My improved musical instrument case, when constructed as described, is most substantial, and is elongated to accommodate banjos, and the like, and is provided with rounded ends made to different radii which are connected by inwardly curvedside walls, both side and end walls being relatively low to provide a comparatively shallow boX or casing which is substantially pear shaped in formation.

I claim:

1. An elongated relatively low boX or container of the character described and pro vided with ends of diflerent widths and consisting of a multi-ply piece of flat woven fabric made of fibrous strands impregnated with sizing and provided with a plurality of notches in its marginal edges, said piece of fabric being deformed to provide a bottom wall and upright side and end walls, said end walls being curved, and said notches preventing the formation of creases or ridges in said side and end walls when the latter are angularly deformed from said bottom wall.

2. An elongated relatively low box or container of the character described and provided with rounded ends made to different radii and consisting of a multi-ply piece of flat woven fabric made of fibrous strands impregnated with sizing, each of said plies being elongated in formation with rounded ends made to different radii and-provided with a plurality of notches in its marginal edges, said piece of fabric being deformed under pressure to provide a bottom wall and side and end walls of relatively low height, said notches extending substantially to the junction of the side and end walls with the bottom wall and preventing the formation of creases or ridges in said side and end walls when the latter are deformed from the bottom wall.

3. An elongated relatively low box or container of the character described and provided with rounded ends made to different radii and relatively lengthy side walls uniting said rounded ends, said box or container consisting of a multi-ply piece of flat woven fabric made of fibrous strands impregnated with sizing, each of said plies being elongated information with rounded ends made to different radii and provided with a plurality of notches in its marginal edges, said piece of fabric being deformed under pressure to provide a bottom wall and side and end walls of relatively low height, said notches extending substantially to the junction of the side and end walls with the bottom wall and preventing the formation of creases or ridges in said side and end walls when the latter are deformed from the bottom wall.

EDWARD J. GULICK. 

